


The lake.

by Maoka



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Angst, Character's Name Spelled as Viktor, M/M, swan lake AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-18
Updated: 2017-03-16
Packaged: 2018-09-25 07:03:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9808448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maoka/pseuds/Maoka
Summary: Swan lake AU in which Yuuri is a beautiful prince who turns into a swan during the day and Victor can't help but fall in love with him the first time they meet.





	1. Prelude

The sky was covered in a thick layer of dark clouds. It was difficult to tell if it was early in the morning or just a grey afternoon. The soft breeze was cold and the water in the lake was still. The air was filled with the sound of silence. 

It was an isolated place, no matter how you look at it. One could easily think that there was no living creature in such a place. The lake was soon to be frozen and the forest that surrounded it was absolutely silent. No creature was lurking around… except for the flock of swans that swam every single day in that lake.  
-.-.-.  
Heir to the throne, owner of a big fortune and ridiculously handsome, Prince Viktor Nkiforov was celebrating the advent of his 27th birthday today. 

The palace’s gardens were glamorously decorated that day as if to show the opulence of the kingdom off and the friendly heart of the soon-to-be king to the lucky guests who were invited by the prince himself to the festivities that were being held in his honour. To the sides there were magnificent tables and on top of those, there were the most appetizing snacks and fresh fruits of the season. There was also delicious wine and water to quench the thirst of the male, rampant dancers that filled the dance floor joined by their beautiful female partners. 

The prince knew that he would much rather take part in this kind of party, surrounded by youthful music, sunlight and the joy of the commoners, than the one that would be held in two days. Specially since Viktor knew that that banquet’s purpose was not only to celebrate his birthday but also, to find a suitable wife out of the marriageable young ladies that would be attending the ball Sunday's evening. He knew that, because his mother, Queen Lilia, had warned him that she would no longer tolerate his carefree bacherlor’s life, since his purpose was to become the best heir and future king he could be. Also, it was no secret, that the Queen was growing old and if the rumours were true, she would soon abdicate and pass the crown to his only son, Prince Viktor Nikiforov. 

He had barely avoided marriage and engagement all these years. His mother had been insisting in finding a good wife for his son ever since he turned 21. He had refused tens, hundreds of young ladies that kept attending the banquet held year after year in hopes of becoming the young prince’s bride. Viktor was no idiot though, he knew that he couldn’t escape marriage forever, specially because of his position in the palace, nevertheless, that didn't mean that he was ready to do it. 

By the time Sunday's evening came to an end, Viktor Nikiforov would be already engaged to the kingdom's most lucky lady, and there would be no going back. The mere thought of it, filled his soul with desperation. 

And so, as if that joyful day could last on forever, Viktor danced, he danced and danced the entire afternoon and then he quenched his thirst with lots of wine, until his vision was blurred and the world seemed to move upside down. He drank not because he wanted to get drunk, but because he wished to forget about his own despair.

However, even if Prince Viktor was powerful, he couldn’t stop time, and so, the party came to an end as the sun slowly went down…

As soon as guests disappeared from the gardens that had been stuffed with people until not long ago, and Viktor found himself alone surrounded by the tranquil and quiet night, melancholy and sadness returned. And fear, because now he was also afraid of what he would be forced to do. 

But, how could he get married? Up until now, he had hid his true feelings and attractions form the Queen, but that didn’t mean that those would magically disappear. The girls he'd be forced to become acquaintances with, would probably be beautiful, young, with big eyes and playful smiles, fully prepared to become the next queen consort and eventually, the mother of the future heir. Those girls would probably be be docile wives or maybe even dirty partners in bed. But Viktor would never feel attracted to any of those things. No matter how perfect those girls turned out to be, Viktor could never fall in love with any of them, he knew that by heart, what was the point in trying then? Could he dare to marry without feeling love and not even the slightest attraction for his future wife? He didn’t even want to think about it.  
But he knew that he had to bring a new heir to this world who would occupy his place once he stopped breathing, someone who could carry on with his family's legacy That was his duty as king. 

The sun had completely disappeared and had been replaced by the biggest moon of the year. Viktor was standing in the gardens, admiring the beautiful scenery in front of him and and dwelling in his own misfortune, when he heard the sound of steps behind him, slowly approaching. 

It was Christophe Giacometti, his lifetime friend, who was now walking towards him. His unsteady walk proved that he was just as drunk as Viktor was. However, Chris seemed brimmed with joy. It was the face of a man who had enjoyed the festivities more than anyone. 

\- Why are you so sad, King Viktor? – Said Christophe in a mockery tone. Viktor said nothing in return. Chris sighed. He sat beside his friend. They knew each other so well, that didn’t need words to communicate, and Christophe understood what was going through his friends’ mind. After all, Chris was the only person who was aware of the reason why Viktor couldn’t marry one of the many girls that would be attending the ball. He knew, even if Viktor didn’t say a word, because Christophe was the same. 

Chris sighed again and looked up at the sky, following his friends’ gaze, just in time to catch a glimpse of a flock of swans flying across the moonlit sky. – Hey! – Christophe said suddenly – How about we go hunting tonight? – Christophe knew, that this was one of his best friends’ favorite hobbies – Yakov is also worried for you, you know? How does that sound huh? One last night of fun to celebrate our youth and our freedom?

'Freedom' there was something in that word that made Viktor's heart accelerate, for it was the one thing his heart desired the most...

After a few seconds, Viktor turned around to face Christophe. In his face appeared a playful smile.


	2. First encounter.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A fated encounter occurs in a lake...

In the vicinities of the palace, surrounded by a large pine forest, was the most beautiful lake. Even if it wasn't far from home, it was Viktor’s favorite place in the world. Ever since the first time he’d seen it when he was just a kid, Viktor couldn’t help but visit that place at least once a year. Winter was his favourite season to visit, because then the lake would be frozen and the prince and his friends could skate on it. And Viktor happened to be very good at it. This year however, even though they were in late December and the wind was freezing against their faces, the lake wasn’t frozen yet. The forest surrounding it was also very convinient, since it was home to a variety of wild creatures, therefore, an idyllic place for hunting. It was a perfectly quiet night and the only sound that could be heard was the hoot of an owl in the distance. It was a bloodcurdling sound.

Chris had gathered about 20 men to join them for a night-time excursion. They had planned to camp in the middle of the woods and return to the palace at the first light of dawn. Everyone was excited, eager but also slightly drunk. Viktor was in the middle of the crowd wondering if being with a group of cheerful young men was the right thing to do, when all he really wanted was to drown in his own solitude. When they were younger, hunting was Viktor and Chris' favourite hobby. It filled them with adrenaline and made them feel invincible. As they were growing older, though, Viktor's duties increased and so he couldn't spend much of his time in the woods, but the sport still filled him with joy, and so he found the time every now and then. In his mind, there was no problem big enough that a night in the woods couldn't solve. Or so he thought. With that in mind, Viktor decided to stay, hoping that the fresh air could help to quiet the storm in his heart.

As they were getting ready to start, they realized that such a large and boisterous group of men, would only scare the possible preys off. Upon realizing it, they decided to separate into smaller groups and begin the hunt.

Holding tightly their crossbows, Viktor’s reduced group consisted only of himself, Christophe and Yakov, his lifetime mentor and friend. The prince knew that his teacher wasn’t precisely a hunting enthusiast and that the only reason for his presence that night, was that he did it following the Queen’s orders, whose overprotective nature had kept Viktor from doing some of the things he enjoyed the most. But knowing Deep down, the real reason behind that overprotectiveness, Viktor couldn’t blame her, not really.

He couldn’t blame Yakov either for never disobeying her orders. And the prince suspected it to be more than just sheer obedience. Although he never dared to ask, Viktor secretly believed that his friend had been in love with his mother ever since the first time he met her. He knew this could be true, not only because of his undying loyalty towards her, but also because there was something in his eyes every time he looked at her and there was something in his voice when he talked to her. Viktor had never been in love, but he was certain that he could recognize the fire bruning inside his teacher’s eyes: It was love. And the prince, being a 27 year old man, inexpirienced in the matters of the heart, was envious of the people who felt so strongly for someone. Even if it was unrequited. Viktor still wanted to know how it felt, to yearn, to desire... He believed that even in the most tragic love story, a beautiful feeling could be found. And Viktor didn't want to leave this world without having expirienced it all, even the pain and misfortunes of love. 

In the meantime, the three men were surrounded by nothing but trees and darkness. The search for preys had begun an hour ago or so, and still, there was no trace of a living animal lurking nearby. Trying to be as quiet as possible, the men kept walking about a kilometer until Viktor started to feel exhausted and little bit bored. Perhaps they were still tipsy and their senses weren’t as keen or perhaps coming here wasn't such a good idea after all. Viktor's feet came to a sudden halt. What was the point in going any further anyway?

As the seconds went by, the prince realized his comrades hadn’t noticed that he wasn’t following their steps anymore. They were way too invested in their task to pay him any attention. He was about to tell them they should give up, go back to the camp and call it a night, when the thought of not telling them, crossed his mind. Maybe, he could go back by himself completely unnoticed, rest for a while and dwell in his own thoughts. It wasn't fair of him to interrupt his friends' fun and he wanted to spend some time alone anyways. He waited until the two men walked away a fair distance to turn around and make his way back to the lake. Those two would be in good hands as Makkachin, his loyal dog would be the one guiding the way. Even if it was an old dog, it was their best chance to find some preys.

Finding the way back, wasn't as difficult as he thought, and in just a couple of minutes, he made it back to the side lake. Nobody seemed to be back yet, and so he decided to sit in a pile of rocks and wait until his friends returned once they were done. Knowing that he probably would have to wait by himself for a few more hours, and even though he knew Yakov would scold him for disappearing in the middle of the Woods without notice, he couldn’t bring himself to feel guilty. Not when he was feeling the way he was. Behind him, the only sound he could hear was the wind blowing and clashing against the trees. It was icy cold but he didn’t mind. Viktor enjoyed feeling the ferocious wind against his cheeks, against his nose and the rest of his body. The fierce way the wind crashed against everything that was in its way, made made Viktor feel the need to do the same. He wanted to eliminate everything blocking the path he wanted to follow and finally break free. That night, Viktor wanted to feel everything, and if being cold and exhausted was part of it, he wanted it all the same before he was imprisoned, before it was too late and he could no longer feel a thing.

A few hours prior, when Chris had suggested a hunting night, Viktor had agreed to it, wishing to run away from the walls surrounding him and the people who were constantly keeping an eye on him, constantly treating him the same way the queen did, not as their future King but as an spoiled child. He had been mistaken however, because the thing he most wanted to run away from wasn’t inside the palace, but within him. A secret that could never been told. That was his own cage that kept him imprisioned. 

He thought about his friend Christophe, only two years younger. Perhaps it was also time for him to feel the pressure of getting married, but with both of his parents dead, no political role to fill and no obligation to bring offspring to the world, there was nothing stopping him from keep on living his carefree bachelor life. He felt envious. Then he thought about Yakov. If his suspicions were correct, then the man had spent half his life being in love with the same woman for over 40 years, but despite that, his mentor had continued on living a life that could be considered _normal_ even if he never got married. The memory of his teacher dancing and flirting with numerous women during today’s party, crossed his mind. If he truly loved the queen, that surely hadn’t stopped him from noticing the rest of the young, beautiful women around him. Probably because his mentor was aware of the fact that even if his love was pure and sincere, it was a longing impossible to fulfill.

 _Impossible_. The word was incomprehensible for a man like Viktor. Ever since the day he was born, he was given everything he wanted, every wish of his was granted almost immediately, and as a result, he became a stubborn child and a rebellious teenager, despite the very strict up bringing he received. And yet, the freedom to decide for himself, to stand up for what he wanted was the only thing that had been denied to him. Could a man like Viktor ever be able to give up on his desires?

Suddenly, something made him snap out of his thoughts. A slight change in the surface of the water behind him distracted him. It was almost an imperceptible sound, but an experienced hunter like him, promptly reacted on it. Viktor turned around and still hiding behind the pile of enormous rocks bought his crossbow to his shoulder, ready to shoot.

The creatures responsible for the change were the two dozens of swans that were trying to promptly cross the lake to get to the other side, near to the place where Viktor was hiding. It was a golden opportunity, and Viktor wasn’t planning on wasting it. All these years as a hunter had taught him to act quickly and in a split second, he was ready to shoot the one leading the group.

However, something stopped Viktor from doing it: The creatures in front of him were the most beautiful swans he had ever laid his eyes on. There was something fascinating in their swimming. Their size was also out of proportion if he compared them to the swans he’d seen before. Were those things real, or was he just hallucinating from having too much alcohol?

By the time Viktor remembered to blink, the one that appeared to be the last one had already crossed the surface of the water and had disappeared into the woods.

_…_

As the seconds went by, Viktor realized what had just happened, he was starting to feel stupid and Infuriated. Okay, those swans were incredibly beautiful, so what? He still missed his chance. After all, a huge procession of swans was swimming, completely defenseless right in front of him and he didn’t do anything. Even killing just one would’ve been fine, but he was too distracted to even remember to breathe.

When Viktor was starting to calm down, a thought crossed his mind: There was something in the behavior of those animals that bothered him. It wasn’t just the fact of how incredibly beautiful they were, there was also something about them that Viktor couldn’t quite describe… something about the way each one of them appeared to be waiting for the swan behind once they had reached land. Was that a common behavior? It seemed... _human._

 _I’m over thinking it_   Viktor thought shaking his head in disbelief. He was about to turn around, when something caught his eye: One last, solitary swan was swimming trying to get to the exact same place the others had disappeared in. This time, Viktor didn’t even try to shoot it, because this one bird turned out to be even more captivating than the rest. In fact, the way it swiftly swam across the lake, made him think that this one was completely different to the rest. There was something about its figure that was somehow _elegant_. Even the white plumage that covered its entire body seemed to irradiate beams of light, like it reflected the soft, pearlescent shine of the moon above their heads. It was entrancing.

Completely mesmerized, Viktor started to walk slowly trying to catch a glimpse of the mysterious animal. He couldn’t even think of killing such an ethereal, magical creature, he just wanted to look at it more closely. When the animal was finally approaching land, Viktor hid behind some bushes so the animal wouldn’t notice his presence and ended up running away.

Viktor couldn’t keep his eyes off it...

…Except that he did when the sound of the same owl hooting in the distance distracted him. Viktor instinctively turned around to find the animal that had been bothering him the entire night but he found nothing. Deciding that the swan in front of him was by far more worth of his attention, Viktor gave up and tried to focus on the animal in front of him… except that it wasn’t there anymore… not entirely at least.

Instead of the long, vigorous neck that he’d seen before was now the head of a young man with messy black hair. Before Viktor could get a grasp of what was happening, the bird’s body had disappeared and was replaced by a thin, half naked torso. The body that had been covered in white feathers up until just a few seconds ago, was now almost entirely covered in a soft white fabric that resembled the same bright plumage. However, not all feathers had disappeared, there were still a few attached to the nape of his neck and the sides of his head instead of the disheveled black hair growing in the front.

Even though his human legs were still trembling, the boy seemed to be eager to stand up. Once he was completely on his feet, Viktor could finaly marvel at the man’s figure. He was young, about four or five years younger than him. His frame was delicate but not terribly thin, and there was something about his graceful figure that remained somewhat _animal_ , like he still carried on within himself the poise of a swan. Even though the boy’s figure was seductive, Viktor found that the look on his chocolate-coloured eyes was innocent, angelic… and yet, filled with melancholy.

He was a beautiful boy.

 

 _Oh no_ Viktor thought _I'm doomed._  

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this chapter was meant to be longer, but by the time I was finishing it I realized it was crap, so I had to rewrite it all over again. I'm so sorry.
> 
> The next one will probably be just as short, but we'll finally get Viktor and Yuuri interacting, so I hope you stay around and bear with this lazy and yet perfectionist writer.  
> Oh and by the way, you can follow me on twitter. You can find me as @saramaoka
> 
> Okay, see you next time!

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so, this was the first chapter of this very well known story. As you could probably tell, Im not an english native speaker and this is the first time i write something entirely in english so it would be really kind if you could point any mistakes out.  
> I will try to publish the original in spanish, so if you understand that language you might want to read it because it has less mistakes... probably.
> 
> I wrote this in a hurry, but i promise next chapter will be better.
> 
> I hope...


End file.
